LAWS 8901 Municipal Law Practice
The course dissects a municipality as a business organization, a Municipal Corporation; how a governmental lawyer practices law within that corporate structure, and the skills needed by a private practitioner to deal with it, municipal boards, agencies, departments and employees. Subject matter includes home rule, Charters, Ordinances and By-Laws (purposes, standards and constitutional issues), forms of municipal government, the government attorney and unique representation issues resulting from multiple clients, the Conflict of Interest common and statutory law, ethical issues, the Attorney-Client Privilege in the governmental setting, taxation, assessments and valuation, procurement, contracts, real estate acquisitions and conveyances, environmental issues, public records, open meetings, zoning and land use planning, comprehensive and master planning, inclusionary zoning, low and moderate income housing and affordable housing.
Course overview
- Department
- Law
- School
- LAW
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Graduate
- Offered
- Annually
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 4.45 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.64 / 5 · Excellent
- Terms evaluated
- 4
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | Howard Levine | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 16 of 16 |
| Spring 2025 | Howard Levine | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 1–3 hrs/week | 7 of 7 |
| Spring 2024 | Howard Levine | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 13 of 14 |
| Spring 2023 | Howard Levine | 4.6 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 5.0 | — | 5 of 5 |